I’ ve read in previous thread that yoga is prohibited on some conutries. I was not able to find any info online. Anyone knows what countries ban yoga? What is a legal enforcement for yogis in those countries?
Thank you
In many Islamic countries because they recognise it as Hinduism.
Just can’t let it go, can you. Even when you try, it still leaks out.
But that is in fact the reason why Yoga is banned in those countries.
Yoga Banned in Indonesia!
January 28, 2009, 4:25 pm
Filed under: Links - Yoga News, Yoga Musings
Muslims in (at least) three countries now, including Indonesia, are officially banned from doing yoga. (The “fatwa”, or religious decree, applies only to the overtly Hindu aspects of yoga, such as chanting, so people pursuing yoga for health or sport are free to continue to do so.) These recent bans raise some interesting questions for me, both as a yoga teacher and as a yoga student. Is yoga a religion? Does my teaching/doing yoga constitute a tacit acceptance or endorsement of Hinduism? Can people of other faiths do yoga, and, if so, under what circumstances?
My basic take on this is that yoga is a religion only if you approach it that way. Personally, I don’t chant or lead my students in mantras during class, although I have no problem with other teachers who do. At the same time, though, I try to approach yoga as something more meaningful to my life than (mere) sport or exercise. I think there is a powerful mental aspect to yoga that, if cultivated properly, can help one to focus better, be less susceptible to emotional ups and downs, live more confidently, etc. And I believe one can pursue all of this without praying to Lord Krishna. There’s a lot of gray area, of course, but I personally try to err on the side of caution and leave out, for instance, chanting “Om” in class or anything else that might be construed in the wrong way. My aim as a teacher is to make my classes as welcoming as possible, which means welcoming people of all different faiths or no faith at all.
There is a legitimate concern, though, that yoga cannot be separated from its religious underpinnings. Many of the poses are named after sages and warriors from the Mahabharata. The practice is, undoubtedly, part of a larger and long-standing religious system. It’s a complicated problem to reconcile the religious history/tradition of yoga with the fact that many people want to practice it in a secular way. I don’t propose to have a perfect solution to this, but I do think a good guiding principle is to always be mindful, both as a teacher and as a student about what aspects of yoga you adopt and which aspects you do not.
My friend in Romania says it was also prohibited there also for a while, and I believe that in the past there were some problems in Russia.
So, it is Just Indonesia or somewhere else?
[QUOTE=suryadaya;38101]My friend in Romania says it was also prohibited there also for a while, and I believe that in the past there were some problems in Russia.[/QUOTE]
It was not legally PROHIBITED in Russia, and there are no legal enforcement but is considered wired and sectarian. Also, they would find a reason to bust some guru or “enlightened one” who is going to teach. They are seem to be ok with Hatha yoga thought, but still it is considered wired.
Actually, yoga was officially prohibited in USSR (as all mystical tuitions), except of the few last years (Perestroika), when even yoga organizations started to appear. They, as well as some new ones, still exist in Ukraine, Russia and other countries of the former USSR, so yoga is not prohibited now in this region.
Most people I know consider asanas as just physical activity and spiiritual yoga practices as something weird.
[QUOTE=Sasha;38160]Actually, yoga was officially prohibited in USSR (as all mystical tuitions), except of the few last years (Perestroika), when even yoga organizations started to appear. They, as well as some new ones, still exist in Ukraine, Russia and other countries of the former USSR, so yoga is not prohibited now in this region.
Most people I know consider asanas as just physical activity and spiiritual yoga practices as something weird.[/QUOTE]
No, it was not legally prohibited even in USSR. I have a book of Phulgenda Sinkha (Yoga treats diseases) issued in the USSR in 1976…
But, when we practice yoga in Ukraine in 2003 people called the police to report a sect:) claiming that we are eating babies and other crazy things.
So, for right now I do not see any countries banning Hatha yoga legally, except Philippines. I doubt thought that they ban asanas, thought…
CityMonk, I know exactly, that people who did yoga in USSR, where pursued.
I guess, there was no article in Criminal Code like “5 years in Siberia for yoga”, but you know, this can be done in another way.
Of course, it didnt start in 1922, but much later, dont know a particular date.
Maybe, after 1976, maybe not: there was a self-publishing.
I hope, police didn`t arrest you ? Such things happens because of ignorance or just a bad sense of humor.
It’s such a shame. Yoga really is an amazing practice that should be available to everyone.
[QUOTE=Sasha;38266]CityMonk, I know exactly, that people who did yoga in USSR, where pursued.
I guess, there was no article in Criminal Code like “5 years in Siberia for yoga”, but you know, this can be done in another way.
Of course, it didnt start in 1922, but much later, dont know a particular date.
Maybe, after 1976, maybe not: there was a self-publishing.
I hope, police didn`t arrest you ? Such things happens because of ignorance or just a bad sense of humor.[/QUOTE]
Sorry, my fault. I have just looked it up. That was the original book of Phulgenda Sinha was published in 1976 in india and reprinted in Ukraine in 1990.
[QUOTE=CityMonk;38130]So, it is Just Indonesia or somewhere else?[/QUOTE]
Yoga is not banned in Indonesia.
What was posted above said that Muslims in Indonesia are prohibited from practicing yoga.
I travelled to Indonesia earlier this year and there were quite a few yoga studios in Bali. I didn’t notice any in Java but then again I didn’t look for one there.
I think after you read the post of Surya Deva on the thread “Is Yoga Hinduism”, post # 22, 26-Aug-10 08:13 pm , yoga will be soon prohibited in America too.
He basically states that you are a Hindu, if you believe in reincarnation etc. How many Americans would like to be named Hindus ? Ask the State Department.
Well, I have not found any plausible info on countries that prohibit yoga nowdays. I guess it is all just a hoax.
[QUOTE=Surya Deva;38037]Yoga Banned in Indonesia!
January 28, 2009, 4:25 pm
Filed under: Links - Yoga News, Yoga Musings
Muslims in (at least) three countries now, including Indonesia, are officially banned from doing yoga. [/QUOTE]
Is yoga banned by Indonesian law, or is that just saying, what it looks to me like it’s saying, that MUSLIMS aren’t supposed to do yoga? Many religions tell believers to do this or don’t do that, but it doesn’t mean it is government law in countries that are predominantly members of said religion.
[QUOTE=Yulaw;39442]Yoga in Indonesia
In Bali[/QUOTE]
Thats great! Hey, SURIA DEVA check these links out…
There are good Yoga studios in Djakarta and of course as others have said, in Bali loads of schools etc
Some individuals and organisations have a dim view of Yoga practice as they are blissfully ignorant of what it is.
I suffered that in church halls in the UK some years ago.
Ignorance and dogma are so often cause for disinformation.
Russia has been a vibrant area for spiritual practice throughout the hard years, my partner is living proof to that.
Religious intolerance from every quarter likes to promote itself through media that enjoys disinformation so best leave it to them not to us.
And always remember never to run over my dogma with your Karma…
Yea like Fox News is the repository of all that is true. Last resource I would trust for accurate reporting. Even the BBC cannot be trusted to stay away from the propaganda machine, but this is a topic for another forum… yet it does question Satya and the implementation of walking and talking